Process of removing asphalt pavement.



A WQE. KERNS'. PRQGESS 0F REMOVING ASPHALT PAVEMENT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 14, 1905-. A

Patented J an; 26, 1909.

2 sums-SHEET 1.

, WITNESSES: IONVENTOR:

E. KBRNS. PROGES$ BEMOVINGASPHALT PAVEMENT. APFLIOATION FILED AUG.14,1906.

910,922. Patented Jan. 26. "1909.

U ITED STATES FF @FHQE WILLIAM E. KERNS,

; PAVING COMPANY, or PHILADELPHIA,

.GINIA.

OF FOX CHASE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE BARBER ASPHALT:

PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIR- PBOGESS OF REMOVING ASPHALTPAVEMENT.

To all whom it may concern- Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. KERNS, of FoxChase, in the countyof Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Processes of RemovingAsphalt Pavement, whereof the following is a specification, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawmgs.

My invention is particularly applicable for removing the upper layerorlayers of sheet asphalt pavements laid between street curbs and cartracks. The process heretofore employed for removing such pavementsrequires that small fragments thereof shall be delimited with channelsmanually cut throughthe upper layeror layers, whichfragments are thenraised manually by inserting crowbars in the channels surrounding them.Said known process is not only very slow but is extremely costly onaccount of'the amount of manual labor required.

Therefore, it is the object of my invention to provide a process bywhich such pave-.

ments can be removed more ra idly than heretofore and with less manualabor, and, as hereinafter described, it is characteristic of my processthat no delimitation of the area of the pavement is necessary; only'asingle initial cut or channel being required.

As hereinafter described, I find it convenient to employ for effectingmy process, a truck arranged to traverse and be supported by thepavement which is to be removed; said truck having means arranged tooverhang and engage the edge of said pavement, and means arranged toraise and lower said engaging means.

In the accompanying drawings; Figure I, shows an elevational view ofsaid apparatus and a portion of the pavement in section. Fig. II, is aplan view of the apparatus and the pavement shown in Fig. I. Fig. III,is a perspective view of a portion of the hoisting apparatus. Fig. IV,is a side elevation of one of the hoisting hooks.

In said drawings, 1, is a truck provided with the supporting wheels 2,having the brake 3. Said truck carries the steam boiler 4, and engine 5,in operative relation with the winch 6. Said boiler and engine aremounted at the front end of the truck in order that they maycounterweight the same when the hoisting apparatus at the rear endthereof is in operation. Said'hoisting appa- Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed August 14, 1905. Serial No. 274,040.

Patented Jan. 26, 1909.

ratus comprises the triangular frame 7, from the apex of which issuspended the hoisting tackle comprising the fall block 8, having thering 9, which carries the two chains 10, provided at their ends withhooks 11, one of which is shown in detail in Fig. IV. The arrangementdescribed is such that said hooks 11, may be raised or lowered by therope 17, which extends to the winch 6, the said rope 17 therebysimultaneously operating both hooks and applying an equal hoistingstrain to two points on the edge of the pavement simultaneously. Theshaft of the winch 6, being provided with the sprocket chain 20,extending to the axle 22, of the rear wheels 2, of the truck, and withthe clutch 21, by which said chain may be rendered operative or idle,said truck may be propelled by said engine 5, to traverse the pavement24, at the will of the operator.

By my process I find that it is possible in an ordinary city street, toremove the pavement 24, in sheets or strips 25, extending from the curb30, to the proximate car track 31, and each having a surface area ofapproximately forty-eight square feet, without cutting or otherwisedelimiting said strips. The initial ste of the process is to make asingle cut or c annel through the upper asphalt layers of the pavement24, down to its foundation; said channel extending from the curb 30, tothe track 31, at right angles to the length of the street. The truck 1,is then caused to traverse the pavement until it is supported in suchproximity to said out or channel that the hooks 11, can be insertedtherein beneath the asphalt. The winch 6, is then operated by the engine5, so as to raise the hooks 11, and thereby bend the free edge of thepavement upwardly until the pavement is fractured in a line parallelwith the initial out; the distance of the line of fracture from theinitial out or channel being variable in accordance with the thicknessand limit of elasticity of the pavement, but beingapproximately fourfeet. I find that the result of startin with a substantially straightout running from curb to track and applying equal and simultaneouslifting stress to a plurality of points on this straight edge and alongthe line of fracture to be determined merely by the stress thusproduced, results in the continuous breaking off of more or lessrectangular pieces, each running from track to curb, from the end of thestrip of pavement to be removed; thus elimi- I stantially at rightangles to the curb; raising hating all the special labor Which isrequired I said free edge uniformly throughout its when the breaking upofthe surface is effected by hand, inWhich case, instead ofsubstantially rectangular pieces, the pavement is broken up into anindefinite number of Wholly irregular pieces, having no relation to eachother, and Without the maintenance continuously of a line of fractureparallel to the original cut. Said fracture occurs before the freemargin of the pavement is bent to a right angle v. ith the remainder ofit, and then, While the free edge of the pavement is upheld by the hooks11, the sheet or strip 25, of the pavement Which has been thus brokenoff, is supported adjacent to its fractured edge 35, by the insertion ofstones or broken pieces of pavement 36. Then the tackle is owered torelease the free edge of the pavement and the detached sheet or strip25, tilts so as to raise its fractured edge 38, above the level of thepavement 24, and thus afford a crevice for the re-insertion of the hooks11, beneath the new free edge of the pavement. The operation abovedescribed eing repeated, the pavement 24, may be fractured in linesparallel with the original cut or channel and ithout any delimitationother than the initial out.

Although I find it convenient to employ the apparatus above described,it is to be understood that other means may be employed for effectingthe process described.

claim:

1. The hereinbefore described process of removing sheet asphalt streetpavement, Which consists in making a substantially straight free edge onsaid pavement sublength until the margin of the pavement is fractured ina line substantially parallel with said free edge; and, then raising thefractured edge of said pavement uniformly throughout its length untilthe margin of the pavement is again fractured in a line substantiallyparallel with its free edge, sub stantially as set forth.

2. The hereinbefore described process of removing making a substantiallystraight free edge on said pavement sul stantially at right angles tothe curb raising said free edge uniformly throughout its length untilthe margin of the pavement is fractured in a line parallel nith saidfree edge; providing a support beneath the detached strip ELLlJiLCGllbto the line of fracture; releasing said detached strip and therebpermitting its fractured edge to tilt upwardly on said support above thelevel of the pavement; then raising the fractured edge of said pavementuniformly throughout its length until the margin of the pavement isagain fractured in a line substantially parallel n ith its free edge;then providing a support beneath the detached strip adjacent to its lineof fracture and releasing said strip, as before, substantially as setforth.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia,Pennsylvania, this ninth day of August, 1905.

VVTLLIABT E. KERNS. T Vitnesses JAMES H. BELL, E. L. FULLERTON.

sheet asphalt street pavement r W rich consists in

